What is Sikhism?

Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded more than 500 years ago in the Punjab district of what is now India and Pakistan.

There are 20 million Sikhs in the world, and Sikhism is most highly concentrated in the Punjab province of India. The New York-based United Sikhs organization says estimates place the Sikh population in the United States between 400,000 and 1 million.

The religion was founded by Guru Nanak and is based on his teachings and the teachings of the nine Sikh gurus who followed him.

Sikhism stresses truth, equality and doing good deeds rather than merely carrying out rituals.